Communication game system, communication game apparatus, and program

Abstract

A communication game system which enables a host player to progress a game in collaboration with guest players is provided. Each player using a video game apparatus connected to a server apparatus progresses the game while moving a party including a plurality of player characters on a field. When the party arrives at a predetermined point on a predetermined field, a battle with an enemy character is started. When a player character of the party becomes inoperative in the battle, a player character of another player can participate in the battle by substituting the player character for the inoperative player character by sending a support request. Although there is a time limit allowing the player character of the other player to participate in the battle, the time limit is extended when the player character achieves a predetermined condition in the battle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication game system, comprising:
 a host terminal apparatus used by a host player; and   at least one guest terminal apparatus used by at least one guest player,   wherein the host terminal apparatus and the at least one guest terminal apparatus are communication-connected to allow the at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by the host player,   the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the host terminal apparatus includes a host guidance inputter that inputs the guidance of the host player for progressing the game,   each of the at least one guest terminal apparatus includes:
 a guest guidance inputter that inputs a guidance from a guest player for progressing the game by operating a guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, by operation of the guest player; and 
 a game participater that allows the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the host player, and 
   the communication game system includes a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host guidance inputter, causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game when the guest character is allowed to participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest guidance inputter or by operating the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         2 . The communication game system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the host terminal apparatus further includes a participation mode setuper that sets a guest participation mode which allows the guest player to participate by substituting the guest player for the autonomous working character in the game, and   when the guest participation mode is set in the host terminal apparatus, the game participater causes the guest character to participate in the game by substituting the guest character for the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         3 . The communication game system according to  claim 1 , wherein the game is a battle with the host character and enemy characters, and
 the game participater causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the battle.   
     
     
         4 . The communication game system according to  claim 3 , wherein, when the guest character is located relatively close to the host character on a field formed in a virtual space of the game, the game participater causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the battle. 
     
     
         5 . The communication game system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the host terminal apparatus further includes a support requestor that requests a support by the guest character in the game, with respect to the guest terminal apparatus, and   the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request when the guest player is on standby without playing the game.   
     
     
         6 . The communication game system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the host terminal apparatus further includes a support requestor that requests a support by the guest character in the game, with respect to the guest terminal apparatus, and   the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request when the guest player plays a different game.   
     
     
         7 . The communication game system according to  claim 6 , wherein the guest terminal apparatus further includes:
 a game stopper that stops the game, the game having been played by the guest player, when the guest terminal apparatus receives the support request and causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player.   
     
     
         8 . The communication game system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the host terminal apparatus further includes a support requestor that requests a support by the guest character in the game, with respect to the guest terminal apparatus, and   the guest terminal apparatus includes a participation selection receiver that receives a selection of the guest player of whether the guest player temporarily participates in the game when the guest terminal receives the support request by the support requestor.   
     
     
         9 . A communication game system, comprising:
 a host mediation apparatus used by a host player;   a host terminal apparatus that is communication-connectable to the host mediation apparatus and executes a game by operation of the host player;   a guest mediation apparatus used by a guest player; and   a guest terminal apparatus that is communication-connectable to the guest mediation apparatus and executes the game by operation of the guest player,   wherein the host terminal apparatus and the guest terminal apparatus are communication-connected through the host mediation apparatus and the guest mediation apparatus to allow the guest player to participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player,   the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the host terminal apparatus includes a host guidance inputter that inputs the guidance of the host player for progressing the game,   the guest terminal apparatus includes:
 a guest guidance inputter that inputs a guidance of the guest player for progressing the game by operating a guest character according to the guidance from the guest player, by operation of the guest player using the guest terminal apparatus; and 
 a game participater that allows the guest character to temporarily participate in the game executed by the operation of the host player, and 
   the communication game system includes a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host guidance inputter, causes the guest character to temporarily participate in the game when the guest character is allowed to participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest guidance inputter or by operating the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         10 . A communication game apparatus for allowing any one of at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by a communication connection with at least one guest terminal apparatus used by the at least one guest player,
 wherein the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the communication game apparatus comprises:
 a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host player; and 
 a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from a guest player in the game executed by the game progresser, and 
   the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player or by operating the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         11 . A communication game apparatus for allowing a guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by communication-connecting to a guest terminal apparatus executing the game by operation of the guest player, the guest terminal apparatus being communication-connectable to a guest mediation apparatus through a communication connection between the guest mediation apparatus used by the guest player and a host mediation apparatus used by a host player,
 wherein the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the communication game apparatus comprises:
 a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host player; and 
 a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from the guest player in the game progressed by the game progresser, and 
   the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to guidance from the guest player or by operating the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program for executing a communication game allowing any one of at least one guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by a communication connection with at least one guest terminal apparatus used by at least one guest player,
 wherein the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the program causes a computer apparatus to function as:
 a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host player; and 
 a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from a guest player in the game executed by the game progresser, and 
   the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player or by operating the autonomous working character.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program for executing a communication game allowing a guest player to participate in a game executed by a host player by communication-connecting to a guest terminal apparatus executing the game by operation of the guest player, the guest terminal apparatus being communication-connectable to a guest mediation apparatus through a communication connection between the guest mediation apparatus used by the guest player and a host mediation apparatus used by a host player,
 wherein the game is progressed by operating a host character according to a guidance from the host player,   the program causes a computer apparatus to function as:
 a game progresser that progresses the game by operating the host character according to the guidance from the host player, and 
 a game participater that receives a temporary participation of a guest character operating according to a guidance from the guest player in the game progressed by the game progresser, and 
   the game progresser receives the temporary participation of the guest character when the guest character is allowed to temporarily participate in the game by the game participater, causes an autonomous working character operating regardless of the guidance from the host guidance inputter to participate in the game when the guest character does not participate in the game, and progresses the game by operating the guest character according to the guidance from the guest player or by operating the autonomous working character.